Abbeys & priories · Yorkshire & the Humber
Cistercian abbeys of England in 5 days
Five great ruined abbeys from Yorkshire to the Wye Valley.
The Cistercians arrived in England in the 1130s seeking solitude and self-sufficiency in remote valleys. Their abbeys — built to a near-identical Bernardine plan — became some of the wealthiest religious houses in the country until Henry VIII's dissolution stripped them in 1536–1540. What remains today is a network of skeletal masonry in spectacular landscapes, perfect for a slow drive across northern England and the Welsh borders.
Places in this guide
📷 4UNESCO World Heritage · Yorkshire & the Humber
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey — ruined Cistercian abbey in Yorkshire, England, UK.
📷 5Abbeys & priories · Yorkshire & the Humber
Rievaulx Abbey
Rievaulx Abbey — ruined medieval abbey in Yorkshire, England, UK.
📷 3Abbeys & priories · Yorkshire & the Humber
Byland Abbey
Byland Abbey — monastery in North Yorkshire, England, UK.
★ Iconic📷 5Abbeys & priories · South Wales
Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey — Grade I listed ruined abbey in Tintern, Monmouthshire, Wales.
★ Iconic📷 4Abbeys & priories · Yorkshire & the Humber
Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey is a abbey in the United Kingdom.
★ Iconic📷 5Abbeys & priories · South West England
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey — former Benedictine abbey at Somerset, England, United Kingdom.